William Shields Named Interim President of University of Pittsburgh's Bradford Campus

August 5, 2002

PITTSBURGH—William A. Shields, president emeritus of Rockford College in Illinois and former president of the College of Great Falls in Great Falls, Mont., has been named interim president of the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, effective Sept. 1, 2002.

From 1992 until this past May, Shields served as president of Rockford College, where he oversaw the successful completion of The Vision Campaign—at $20 million, the largest capital campaign in the college's history. He served as president of the College of Great Falls from 1977 to 1992.

"Dr. Shields is highly esteemed in Rockford for the successful, positive, and cooperative relationships he built within the college and between the college and the community," says Pitt Provost James V. Maher. "I look forward to helping Dr. Shields and the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford community identify academic opportunities and work toward our shared goal of excellence."

"I have great confidence that Dr. Shields will provide thoughtful academic leadership to the Bradford campus while the search for a new president continues this year," says Pitt Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg. "He possesses the necessary experience, wisdom, and integrity to build on the Bradford campus's strengths and priorities and to represent the University of Pittsburgh in the community."

"As a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh, I look forward to returning to my alma mater in this capacity," says Shields. "It is a privilege to have the opportunity to work with Chancellor Nordenberg and Provost Maher and to serve the University on behalf of the faculty, staff, and students of Pitt-Bradford. My wife, Judy, and I are anxious to be part of the campus family and the local community."

During his long career in higher education, Shields has been an influential community leader. He served as chair of the Greater Rockford Council of 100, a community economic development organization, and of the Illinois Campus Compact, a service learning organization. He also served as vice chair and secretary/treasurer of the Federation of Illinois Independent Colleges and as a member of the board of directors of the Rockford Health Council, the Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Rockford Golden Apple Foundation, and Growth Dimensions.

At Great Falls, Shields chaired the Montana Board of Natural Resources and the Economic Development Council of the Great Falls Chamber, served on the Governor's Task Force on Telecommunications, and served as president of the Independent Colleges of Montana Association.

Shields earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Carroll College, with minors in history and political science, graduating magna cum laude in 1964. In 1966 and 1972, respectively, he earned the Master of Arts and Ph.D. degrees in sociology from the University of Pittsburgh, where he defended his dissertation on community decision-making "with distinction."

Prior to becoming president at the College of Great Falls, Shields was a professor in the sociology department there, and he served on the sociology faculty at Idaho State University for 10 years. He also taught social sciences in Pitt's College of General Studies and sociology at Penn State University's New Kensington campus.

Shields has had numerous papers and reports published on his research in organizational behavior, community power structures, higher education, drug abuse, energy, and the environment and has coauthored community resource manuals. He has served as a consultant and cohost for local public television public affairs programming.

Shields and his wife have four grown children and a grandson.

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